Strings
by lyndasty
Summary: Brennan deals with Rebecca answering Booth's phone at the beginning of "Truth in the Lye". This takes place during and just past the episode. This is my first Bones fanfic so reviews are love.


Temperance hung up the phone with a minor slam. She knew that voice...she would know that voice anywhere. She could remember minute details about a variety of subjects both alive and dead and a voice was a not-so-minute detail.

Rebecca. Booth had been with Rebecca. And she knew that sound tone to Booth's voice, not from personal experience, but he was breathless...while in the company of his ex...without Parker around from the lack of the typical four year old type sounds that usually were in the background whenever Parker was around.

Brennan tried to block the mental images that were flooding her brain. Booth...naked...Booth naked with Rebecca...doing who knows what to each other and in a startling variety of positions probably given that she could just imagine how flexible Booth was...and how flexible Rebecca probably was given her body type and apparent physical shape.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing the mental images to clear out. She forced them as far to the side as she could manage by thinking about what was at the root of them. Why did she care? What did it matter that Booth was with Rebecca, or had been at some point today? The logical part of her brain knew it most likely was the inherent dominance struggle that was practically coded into her DNA. It had been a while since there had been any other woman in Booth's life except for Brennan so, on some primal level, she'd established herself as the alpha female to Booth's alpha male personality. That's all it was, she decided. It was an ingrained, primal response. After all, she'd had a similar reaction to Camile at first. And Tessa to a lesser extent because Tessa hadn't been around for that long.

Later, at the crime scene, Booth insisted on downplaying and outright excusing the presence of his ex on his phone earlier. Temperance scoffed it off, feigning indifference while, in reality, she was anything _but_ indifferent.

She was worried about Parker. If things heated up between Booth and Rebecca again and didn't work out, Brennan was just worried that Parker would get caught in the middle of something much nastier than his parents' usual fireworks. With a sigh, Brennan was content that she had gotten to the root of her emotional inburst from earlier.

As they watched the wives of the victim, hoping for an interaction that would signify some sort of prior knowledge, the subject of Rebecca and Booth came up again. Brennan stuck to logic and tried to play it down to just a biologically necessary release of physical tension that Booth, in typical anthropological fashion, turned to a familiar previous partner to relieve. Brennan decided to make Booth squirm by intimating that she would be inclined to such an activity with one, or more, of her previous partners. She wasn't being petty or getting revenge for the squirming she'd endured earlier...not at all.

In an attempt to understand the inner workings of one Seeley Booth, she, when given the opportunity, questioned the object of his current...relations. Rebecca didn't want to be taken care of. Temperance could understand that; she had similar inclinations. She didn't, however, understand why they were still, on some subconscious level, trying to work things out between themselves. When she'd said that Rebecca's "one moment" theory didn't equal up with her, she wasn't lying. But, to an analytical person, given the fact that they were repeatedly getting together was indicative of their repeated continued attempts to re-establish their relationship.

Temperance stopped herself. She was using psychology. She detested psychology. She was definitely spending too much time with Angela on late night sharing sessions.

Brennan tactfully retreated to her office when Rebecca appeared since she didn't want Booth to know they'd spoken earlier, and he could read his partner like an open book. Once in her office, she fought back the returning feelings from the fallout of the phone call. This was really starting to irritate her and when things got to her like this, she confronted them.

"So you never said how it ended up with Rebecca," Brennan decided to confront this one head on...by retreating behind her desk into what Angela had referred to once as her "safe zone."

"Well, yeah, it ended. The only time we'll ever spend together is with Parker." Brennan could tell that her partner was slightly more relaxed than he had been since the whole Rebecca thing had broken and she was glad. She didn't like seeing Booth so tense over something this trivial, she told herself.

"You sure that's what you want?" She asked the question more to focus on her ultimate goal, which was to talk about the things that had been going on in her mind recently than to hear the answer because she had a feeling she knew what the answer would be.

"You know what, Bones? It might be all anthropology to you, but there are certain people that you just can't sleep with. I mean, you can pretend that it's just sex. You can lie to yourself, and you can say that it's all good. But, um, there's just- There's too many strings and- and too much at stake, you know? Too much to lose." She could read the tone of his voice and his body. She knew what he was saying. Brennan came out of her safe zone to try to, symbolically, meet Booth halfway but she stopped short at the 'too many strings and too much at stake' comment. That struck a chord. In her mind, she wondered if they were still just talking about Rebecca or if the 'certain people that you just can't sleep with' included her. She kept her face void of emotion just in case.

"Yeah. I can see that." And she could...she honestly could. And somewhere, deep inside, something broke, but she clamped down on that emotion, too, because she couldn't risk letting Booth see that, not now.

"It's over, you know? I'd appreciate, you know, your support in that." Booth got up and walked towards her and, although she would never admit this to anyone else, Temperance Brennan got weak in the knees. She preferred Booth like this, all relaxed with his defenses down. Not to mention Booth in jeans that were tight in all the right places as well as a t shirt that rode up strategically as if it had a mind of its own. He shoved his hands in his pockets almost nervously, but still she kept her face blank.

"I will. And if you should slip, I will…keep my mouth shut about it." She smiled and the smile was genuine because she would. Somehow, she would keep Angela from finding out about Booth's personal life, in as much as anyone could keep Angela from finding out about anything. Booth returned her smile and Brennan clutched the file folders in her hand a little tighter because he smiled _that_ smile...that smile that said so much by not saying anything at all.

"Thank you. But, I mean, it's not like I'm gonna-" Booth, once again, felt the need to quantify his statements so Brennan stopped him.

"No, I mean with anybody. I'm sure Rebecca's not your only option for satisfying your biological urges." She purposefully held his gaze when she mentioned satisfying biological urges because, until this conversation, she thought that she might possibly be one of those candidates but Booth had said it himself...too many strings and too much to lose.

Angela and Hodgins coming in was a welcome distraction as was their hope that Larry's wives weren't going to jail. Brennan snuck one last sidelong glance at her partner and friend.

Angela, of course, had to make a comment about Booth getting back together with his ex and, as soon as she'd said it, Angela was backpedaling and Brennan was refusing to tell her what was going on. They walked out to their respective cars.

"Are you okay sweetie? You seem...distant. Well, more distant than usual I mean." Angela stopped and studied her best friend.

"What? Oh yeah I'm fine...just an enlightening day as per usual around here that's all."

"Ugh tell me about it...I'm glad this day is over...there is a tall glass of something tall, dark, and alcoholic in my future. Take it easy!" Angela left for her car, leaving Temperance alone. She was used to being alone...she preferred to be alone. Then why, all of a sudden, did Temperance Brennan feel like the loneliest person in Washington D.C.?

Brennan drove home in silence, thinking back to her conversation with Booth in her office. Too many strings and too much to lose...he was so sincere and caring in the way he'd said it. That was what hurt the most although she hated to admit it, even to herself. Booth was always looking out for her, to save her, usually from people trying to or wanting to hurt or kill her. She had no idea that he'd ever save her from herself.


End file.
